William Shatner calls J.J. Abrams a pig'

This 1977 file image provided by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation ahows, from left, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill in a scene from "Star Wars" movie released by 20th Century-Fox in 1977. Not only has Disney already begun working on a new trilogy, to start with J.J. Abrams directing episode seven, but reports this week have said possible spinoffs are being developed for young Han Solo, the bounty hunter Boba Fett and Yoda. (AP Photo/20th Century-Fox Film Corporation)

Well, don’t beat around the bush, Bill. Tell us what you really think.

Shatner, the original Captain Kirk on television and in seven “Star Trek” films, doesn’t think Abrams should be doing both the new “Star Trek” films, as well as the next “Star Wars” movies.

“No, he’s being a pig,” Shatner told the website Movie Fanatic. “He’s collecting the two franchises and holding them close to his vest. He’s probably the most talented director of that ilk that we have, but he’s gone too far this time.”

Advertisement

He probably said that like, “He’s … gone … TOO … far … this … time.”

Granted, Abrams taking on both franchises — arguably the two biggest sci-fi franchises in film history — came as a surprise to many. He helmed the successful 2009 “Star Trek” reboot, and his “Star Trek Into Darkness” follow-up is set for a May 17 release. Abrams at first said he wouldn’t direct “Star Wars,” then changed his mind and took on the job.

Shatner and Abrams have clashed since Abrams took over the “Star Trek” franchise. There was speculation in 2008 that Shatner’s Captain Kirk would appear in the rebooted “Star Trek,” but the pair couldn’t agree on how that would happen.

Abrams told AMC in 2008, “We actually had written a scene with him in it that was a flashback kind of thing, but the truth is, it didn’t quite feel right. The bigger thing was that he was very vocal that he didn’t want to do a cameo. We tried desperately to put him in the movie, but he was making it very clear that he wanted the movie to focus on him significantly, which, frankly, he deserves. The truth is, the story that we were telling required a certain adherence to the Trek canon and consistency of storytelling. It’s funny — a lot of the people who were proclaiming that he must be in this movie were the same people saying it must adhere to canon. Well, his character died on screen. Maybe a smarter group of filmmakers could have figured out how to resolve that.”

In other words: Bill, you had your big death scene years ago. Get over it.

Shatner responded to Abrams in a YouTube video, claiming he was never asked to appear in “Star Trek.” Which didn’t seem to bug him later on.

“I think of him as a buddy of mine,” Shatner said. “I’ve taken him out for sushi. I think it’s time for J.J. and I to have another sushi and let me put him straight about two of the largest franchises,” Shatner said to Movie Fanatic, before joking, “not employing me in either one of them is just foolhardy.”